Step By Step, Chapter One: Citrine Valley
by Palikane
Summary: The group has a new member, Chloe. Now the four of them have to deal with hiking up mountains and a legendary pokemon thats out to kill them.


Chapter One, Citrine Valley "Where does this trail supposed to lead?" Misty complained as Brock, Ash, and the newest member of the group, Chloe were hiking up Sable Mountain. "We have been hiking up mountains for almost two weeks now!"  
"Calm down Misty, when we get to the top of the moutain, I'll look around." Ash coaxed, trying to keep Misty from having her daily temper tantrum. Something she has had for the past week now.  
"Sorry." She said rudely. "It's not my fault SOMEBODY saw that mountain TWO WEEKS AGO and said, 'ooh, let's climb up here and see if there are any pokemon I can catch!'" She spat at Ash. Chloe and Brock just shook their heads and avoided getting into their argument.  
"Well you didn't have to agree!" Ash defended as Pikachu ran from Ash to walk with Brock and Chloe, who were just listening.  
"Well I can't leave! I need a new bike!" Misty shouted.  
"She always uses that excuse so she can stay with us." Brock told Chloe quietly. Chloe smiled, "I figured."  
"Misty, we're in Johto, far from Kanto. If you want a new bike so bad, you should have asked!"  
"I have, if you weren't too busy-" Misty screaming voice was cut off by Chloe.  
"Do you guys ever stop fighting?! I've been traveling with you guys for a month now, it's been great and all, but I've heard probably 100 arguments between you two!" Chloe sighed and continued walking. That seemed to shut those two up.  
"Misty, you can't say that this whole trip in the mountains has been bad." Brock said, throwing his very own "Poke-treats" for Chloe's Houndoom (which rarely got into it's pokeball) to eat. Houndoom darted around the trail, catching each one in its mouth.  
"What do you mean?! It's been terrible!" Misty shouted.  
"Well, we all know you love sights. And so far we've seen pretty mountains, rivers, waterfalls, even sunsets up here."  
"I guess you're right." Misty said, calm now.  
"Ooh, I think we're almost at the top..." Chloe announced, running ahead. The other three chased after her.  
"We're at the top." Chloe declared, collapsing on a rock, taking a sip of water. Those four words were something they've heard 1-3 times a day since they started climbing these mountains, 13 days ago.  
"Anyone want lunch?" Brock asked. The other three said yes and they all talked.  
The top of the mountain had no trees, just a ledge, Ash, Brock, Chloe and Misty sitting at the top looking down on the mountain range.  
"It's beautiful up here." Misty exclaimed, stretching and smiling. Brock looked up from his cooking.  
"See what I mean?" He smiled at Chloe and Ash.  
Misty ignored him and walked down the ledge to the very edge of it. She looked down at the steep side of Sable Mountain.  
Pikachu and Houndoom were playing up by the trail, where Ash, Brock and Chloe were sitting. They were playing tag, darting around trees and rocks. It was funny to watch.  
Chloe's cell-phone rang.  
"Hello?" Chloe asked into the phone. The other person talked.  
"Oh, hi Mom. I'm just up here with Brock, Ash and Misty. We're in the Golden Mountains. Sable Mountain. Yeah, we've been climbing up here for about two weeks now. I'm fine. Don't worry about it. What? Really? Okay, bye. Love ya. Bye." Then Chloe hung up. Brock and Ash were staring at her.  
"That was my Mom. She says that there are a bunch of legends that take place here. It's kind of cool. I don't think she believes we've been hiking for two weeks." Chloe laughed.  
"Legends? Like what?" Ash asked as Misty began making her way back up.  
"My Mom doesn't know any. But-"  
"I FOUND A TOWN! I FOUND A TOWN! I FOUND A TOWN!!!" Misty squealed excitedly, running up the ledge to the other three.  
"Oh my God! There's a town in the valley over there!" She jumped up and down. Surprised, Ash got up and jogged to the ledge and looked around.  
"She's right! There's a small town out there." He said, running back.  
"Well, why don't we have lunch first, then figure out how to get to the town." Brock suggested.  
They finished their lunches and began back down the trail. Houndoom had stopped playing with Pikachu and was walking next to Chloe. Brock kept watching Houndoom.  
"What attacks does Houndoom know?" Brock asked Chloe.  
"Flamethrower, Crunch, Faint Attack and Bite." Chloe answered, wondering why he wanted to know.  
"What are those white things made out of?" He asked.  
"Bones. No one knows how they got attached like that though. It's kind of weird."  
"Hmm." Brock leaned down and petted Houndoom, feeling the bones on its back.  
"Don't grab the horns, whatever you do." Chloe told him. Brock looked up with a curious look. "They feel threatened and defenseless, so they'll burn, bite, and attack whose ever doing that. So be careful."  
Brock backed away and kept walking. 


End file.
